WORLAND — For more than 20 years, families from the Eagles No. 3096 have been providing a free Christmas dinner to community members in Worland who do not have any place to go for the holiday.

Eagles Auxiliary Secretary Lory August said the Christmas dinner was started by Mike and Sally Beauvias in the old Eagles facility by the post office. She said that Beauviases began thinking that there were a lot of people who don’t have family in the area or anyone to share Christmas dinner with and they wanted to provide a place for people to gather.

August said after Sally Beauvias passed away, Mary Mercado and her family took over organizing the dinner. She said the Mercados have put on the dinner for many years except two —Lory and her family organized it one year and Sandy Tibbs and her family held the dinner another year.

The Eagles serve up a traditional Christmas dinner with turkey and ham, multiple side dishes, desserts and a salad bar. Each year Barbara McClure makes homemade rolls.

“It started small but this year Mary is having us prepare for 100 people,” August said, adding that last year with inclement weather they still served 75 meals, with about half of them delivered.

Dinner is served from noon to 1:30 p.m. on Christmas day at the Eagles on Railway Avenue.

For meal delivery, people can call 307-347-2561.

August said each year they have a lot of regulars that come who don’t have family, but gather and visit with others dining at the Eagles.

August said, “The community supports us throughout the year with our charities and fundraisers; that’s what we’re about. We can’t do it without the community and this is one way for us to give back. People have a place to come together so they are not alone. That’s important to us. I’ve been with the Eagles Auxiliary for 39 years and I’ve seen a lot of things come and go but this is one of the great things we can do for our community.”

She said the Eagles is blessed to have the Mercado family willing to hold the dinner each year, as well as the many other volunteers who help set tables, cook and do the dishes because “Mary doesn’t use paper plates.”